Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-03-31
ENFORCING THE IMMIGRATION
LAWS.

Inc OrGtr OF AtUuS SECRETARY Nm
CHILD, in obedience 10 the law recently
passed by Congress, placing the prohibi-
ton of the importation OF foreign contract
labor in the hands of commissioners Of i'm
migration and customs officers is meeting
with much criticism from monopollsts and
their friends. Fault is even found with
the President for not vetOing the measure
Though there has been for some time a
law against the importation Of foreign con-
tract labor, it has in many places proved
dead letter We have had protective
tariff to enable our industries to prOsperand
at the same time give good wages to our
wOrkingmeu. But the violation Otthe law
his been by constituencies mOuOpOliStS, who
while reaping the benefits OF the taritt not
only deprive American workingmen OF the
benefit but crush them by bringing in for
eign plupers to take away that which At
fOrdS them living.
The Louisville COHritT-jOWHn is not
putting it much too strong in regard to
this system when it says OF the law that
the Administration is trying to enforce:
The fact Is the Law in question is an uL-
avoidable necessity of the very essence and
nature OF the industrial system under
which we are situated. It's object is not to
impose any barrier upon free immigration,
but to prohibit resort to contracts for
foreign labor abroad on the basis of foreign
wages. The Pharisee mOnOpOllsts who
bambOOzle OF bride the peoples Con-
crosses into establishing 40 per cent
protection for American labor, have been
in the habit of thanking American labor
and employing agencies in foreign nations
regularly established for that business rs a
system to pick up all classes OF beggars,
vagabonds, tramps and shirtless rascals
they could find, and by Offering them
ready employment at foreign wages herd
them into bands of white poems under
contract to ship for the works of their new
American masters. IL was obviously the
motive and theory OF this practice to use
the scum OF foreign labor u Cypress Ameri-
eau labor in American industries which
are loaded with hundreds Of millions of
dollars of tariff duties levied under the
pretease OF protecting American labor. 1t
was, and is, practice designed to avoid
the necessity of going into the American
market for labor, and contracting for the
very labor which the tariff processes to
protect. IL WAS manifeStly designed to
form 4 partnership of American capital
with foreign labor, and for capital alone
to monopolize the millions contiScatcd
from all other branches Of American pro-
duCtiOn."
The question of foreign immigration is
becoming q serious one. Every few days
We read of snip load of Foreigners being
brought over and turned loose in our large
cities. Most OF them are penniless. There
is not enough employment in the large
cities for the men already there. What
then is to become of the thousands of poor
ignorant immigrants that are crOwding in?
They must eat like other people. This
was evidenced by the thousand of half
starved Italians that were landed at Castle
Garden last week from the wrecked steamer
Scotia. They were packed in the vessel
like sardines and given just enough food
to keep them from starving. They were
too poor to afford anything better.
The cities OF our country are taking
upon themselves heavy burden in caring
for thousands that came over. A large
number of these people by force ofcireum-
stances become paupers and criminals, and
. load upon taxpayers. Many Of them
will drift about taking whatever employ
ment they can get and at whatever wages
they eau get. This is one thing that brings
wages down. The supply of labor is made
greater than the demand. And whenever
strike occurs, these people rush in to fill
up the vacancies and bitter hatred is en- |!